The Voice Study Centre Research Ethics Committee
Our Mission Statement
- Our mission is to enable practitioner research and facilitate inclusivity within the research sphere. Establishing an open-access review board for the voice community will develop applied research that bridges the gap between theory and practice. We aim to produce new knowledge from research conducted with integrity and carried out by curious, ambitious, and creative researchers.
- Our vision is transformative as we aim to mobilise a community of innovative practitioner researchers engaged in activism and change. We facilitate advocacy, action, and reform. We nurture an outward-looking research culture underpinned by our core values of inclusion, academic freedom, respect, trust, responsibility, research relevance and academic rigour.
- VSC is committed to undertaking high-quality research that embodies research integrity and governance and good practice. We foster an open research environment, sharing valuable resources amongst our student populace, and broader community of practice.
- We aim to ensure our research strategy, vision, and centre operations preserve research integrity by always adhering to good practices.
What is a Research Ethics Committee?
A research ethics committee is a group of people appointed to review research proposals to assess formally if the research is ethical. This means the research must conform to recognised ethical standards, which include respecting the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of the people who take part.
The governance and operation of our Research Ethics Committee is in accordance with the UK Research Integrity Office guidance provided by the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA).
Find our Research Ethics Committee members here.
Integrity Officer- Dr Cathy Bollaert
Originally from South Africa, Cathy has worked both in academic and practitioner settings in Ghana, Sri Lanka, Angola, South Africa and Northern Ireland. She also has extensive experience working in the faith-based sector. She joined Christian Aid in 2019 with expertise in research ethics, reconciliation, identity politics and peace-building transitional justice and its intersection with identity and culture.
She holds a PhD from the Transitional Justice Institute and INCORE at Ulster University, and published Reconciliation and Building a Sustainable Peace: Competing Worldviews in South Africa and Beyond, a book on building a sustainable peace in culturally diverse societies.
Selected as a Rotary World Peace Fellow, Cathy also holds an MA in African Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Bradford, and an MA in Theology from Ghana.
Cathy is committed to promoting human flourishing in societies emerging from conflict and holds a vision for reconciliation and sustainable peace that is underpinned by her values for equality, diversity, and dignity.
The Governing Body of the Research Ethics Committee
The Voice Study Centre provides the necessary governing structure for the Research Ethics Committee. The Research and Integrity Committee (RIC) oversees the Research Ethics Committee (REC). It is responsible for:
- Ratifying the Research Ethics and Integrity Policy and the Research Integrity Constitution
- Determining the role of the Research Integrity Committee
- Defining the boundaries of the Research Integrity Committee and the Research Ethics Committee
- Ratifying the Research Integrity Constitution
- Ensuring both National and International Compliance
- Overseeing the training and development of the ethics committee
- Ratifying the ethics committee constitution and standard operating procedures for the ethics committee
- Ensuring procedural clarity for the Light Touch Review process and the departmental ethics committee
- Ensure the research ethics committee member roles are clarified
- Ensure operational guidelines, screening protocols, and evaluative checklists enable the RIC to perform efficiently.
- Oversee inclusivity and diversity amongst quorum members
- Be responsible for drawing up additional documents when needed.
- Oversee accountability and ensure the REC report is detailed and submitted each year.
- Hearing appeals from the research ethics committee
- Providing guidance and oversight on data management via our Data Management policy
- Providing guidance and oversight on risk via our risk assessment policy and ensuring the protection of vulnerable and sensitive groups
- Providing guidance and oversight on conflict of interest via our Conflict of Interest policy
- Providing guidance and oversight on research integrity via our Research Misconduct and Whistle Blowing Policy and Research Misconduct and Sanctions policy
- Ensuring that monitoring and governance are clear for sponsored researchers and independent researchers:
- Monitoring and Auditing Policy Ongoing ethical monitoring of student projects and staff
- Monitoring clarification for independent researchers
- Ensuring a breach of ethics is appropriately reported
- Ensure the appropriate management of research funding
- Ensure yearly reporting of all ethics activities
- Ensuring policies are regularly updated following our policy review schedule
Why do I need ethical approval?
Ethical approval is necessary in order to protect the dignity, rights and welfare of research participants. To publish in a peer-reviewed journal, ethical clearance prior to undertaking the project must have been granted.
Who can apply for ethical approval?
- Students and staff MUST apply for ethical approval before undertaking research. You will be fully supported through this process.
- Independent researchers may access our services and apply for a favourable review before undertaking the study.
Can I use the service if I am an independent researcher?
You can access our services as an independent researcher as we are committed to facilitating practitioner research. There are some important factors that you need to consider before you embark on your quest:
1) Do you have adequate knowledge of research methodology to enable you to submit an ethics form and undertake the research?
If you are inexperienced but enthusiastic, you may need to undertake appropriate research methods training either in the form of an accredited course or via a MOOC or a short course. You will be asked to evidence your experience.
2) Do you have a sponsor?
Do you have a sponsor? If you are a student or a member of staff, The Voice Study Centre, as an accredited college, will act as your sponsor. It means that we will accept liability if something goes wrong. The Voice Study Centre is not able to act as a sponsor for an independent researcher, but we can support you through guidance. You can research independently without a sponsor, but professional indemnity insurance is advisable in such cases.
4) What types of ethical approval are there and how does this differ if I am an independent researcher?
Where we sponsor research, we agree to monitor its execution and staff and students are consistently guided and advised with tutor and peer support. As an independent researcher, you act as your own sponsor and will not be monitored or supervised by The Voice Study Centre. To reflect this important distinction, you will receive a favourable/unfavourable review outcome rather than an approval. The purpose of the distinction is to encourage you to take full responsibility for both the research process and outcomes. We are acting in accordance with the Association of Research Managers and Administrators and the UK Research Integrity Office.
There are two strata of favourable/unfavourable review:
You will need to download the appropriate documentation and decide which one to apply for.
5) How much does a submission cost?
1) Light Touch Review - £295
2) Full board Review - £595
Our review board consists of between 8 to 12 members. Between 4 – 6 members are internal VSC staff, others are field experts and there is one lay person.
Will you support me through the application process?
We aim to make the process as seamless as possible. Please follow the instructions and download the relevant documentation:
How do I know whether I will need a light-touch review or a full board review?
Light Touch
Please view our review light-touch review document. Our committee document explains the procedure and our guidelines explain the evaluative process undertaken by our department ethics officers.
Full Board
Our documents clarify when to refer to a full board. If you require a full board, the chair of the REC will apply the screening protocol to classify the risk level. Before submission, it is advisable to evaluate the standard of your application by using the REC panel checklist. When the REC considers a full board application, it follows the operational guidelines.
Is there an ethics application form?
Yes, please complete the ethics application form. Please also review the guidelines for ethical approval.
Do I need to submit a research proposal?
Yes, your application will be rejected without one. Please complete our templates:
- For mixed methods, please adapt accordingly.
Contract for Independent Researchers
If the ethics committee grants a favourable review, it is important to recognise that VSC will not act as your legal sponsor. This is clearly explained in the contract below. Please sign it as part of your submission.
Gaining participant consent:
It is important to gain participant consent before embarking on your research report:
- Informed Consent
You must also have regard for vulnerable groups and sensitive populations. Please consult our relevant policy.
Data Management
It is important to be aware of how you will store the data
- Data Management Policy
Risk Assessment Templates
It may be appropriate to submit a risk assessment with your application. Please consult our Risk Assessment Policy. You will also need to consult our guidance on when to include a risk assessment. For additional guidance, please view our risk assessment tool. To be certain, please consult our risk assessment flow chart.
To complete your risk assessment, please download the risk assessment example and risk assessment template
The Decision
You will receive an approval letter with suggested amendments, where appropriate or you will receive an unfavourable review.
Please note that amendments will require additional fees to be paid in accordance with our amendments and resubmission policy
Appeals
If your ethics form is declined, you may appeal the decision. Please consult the ethics appeal procedure and complete the appeals request form.
When can external applicants submit for ethics considerations?
| Submission Dates |
|---|
16ᵗʰ January 2026 |
27ᵗʰ March 2026 |
13ᵗʰ July 2026 |
Checklist of Documents Needed for an Ethics Application
- Ethics application form ☐
- Research proposal ☐
- Independent Research Contract ☐
- Participant Information Form ☐
- Informed Consent ☐
- Any flyers or advertising ☐
- Data Impact Assessment documents ☐
- Risk Assessment documents ☐
- Details of research instruments: include the complete version of the survey, questionnaire, or interview guide ☐